


A Little Less Pain

by tveckling



Category: Romeo And Juliet - All Media Types
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Not really that healthy but they're working on it, Quick implied rape that hasn't actually happened, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-30
Updated: 2015-12-30
Packaged: 2018-05-10 12:11:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5584939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tveckling/pseuds/tveckling
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In Verona nothing is as it seems, and secrets are everywhere. There is, however, one secret Mercutio is tired of hiding.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Little Less Pain

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SosearchingRomeo (Breakingthestandards)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Breakingthestandards/gifts).



> The second fic I wrote for SesearchingRomeo's Mercutio contest, with Tycutio this time.

It was market day, and the piazza was so full of people that no one avoided getting stepped on at least once. The proximity and hurriedness—or lack of haste—of the surrounding people made many irritable, and everyone could sense what was going to happen when two specific groups came face to face. 

At the head of the Montague's group stood Benvolio and Mercutio, the latter leaning on his friend and grinning lazily. Behind them five youths dressed in Montague colors jeered at the Capulets in front of them, who only counted five in total. It didn't do anything to dissuade Tybalt, though, as he glared darkly with a hand on his sword. As soon as the two groups had spotted each other, the people around them had quickly parted, leaving a big area of space around the troublemakers. No one wanted to be dragged into the fight they would surely have. 

"We were having such a peaceful day, and then the cat had to come and ruin it. It's such a typical behavior of a Capulet, wouldn't you say, Benvolio? Always loitering where they're unwanted." Mercutio gestured towards Tybalt and sighed dramatically.

"Don't you have some other place to be? I remember Father Stefano was looking for you; something about inappropriate behavior in the church?" Tybalt said dryly. 

Benvolio chuckled, but turned his face away when Mercutio rolled his eyes at him. "There was an accident, the good Father misunderstood. That's it. Too bad I can't say the same about you and Lord Pelosi's sister. How much groveling _did_ your dear uncle have to do before Pelosi pulled back his accusations?"

"You're an eyesore, Mercutio. Go and bother someone else, I don't want to see your face," Tybalt growled.

Mercutio straightened at that, looking at Tybalt with an unusual focus in his eyes. "Now that's not a nice thing to say. I happen to have a very pretty face that anyone would be thrilled to see. Isn't that right, Ben?"

"I'm not so sure about the 'thrilled' part," Benvolio said with a quirk of his lips, "but your face is annoyingly popular, especially amongst the ladies. I suppose it's not a thing mister Virgin over there would be familiar with. Or have you finally managed to convince a girl to lay with you?"

"Don't say such a horrible thing, Benvolio." Mercutio laid a hand over his chest, seemingly upset at the thought. "Imagine what it must have taken to convince the poor girl, and what an experience she must have been through. I wonder if she would ever want a man in her bed again, after sharing it with such a person. Can you imagine our lord Cat being gentle with those claws of his? I sure can't. I wonder if he even knows how to," he hissed between clenched teeth. 

Tybalt took a deep breath, his lips pulled tight and his eyes narrowed into slits as he stared at Mercutio. His hand was shaking from the force with which he held his sword hilt. "I may not have the same amount of experience as dogs like you, but since that would mean inviting every man and woman in the city into my bed it's not strange. Tell me, Mercutio, how much do you take for a night nowadays?"

Mercutio took a step forward, already reaching for his sword, but was stopped by Benvolio's hand on his arm. "The Prince's men are coming," he said hurriedly, and pulled at Mercutio's arm. "Forget about him, we'll deal with him at a later time, I promise. You know your uncle's hate for fighting. Please."

Across from them Tybalt was being pulled away as well, he and his friends quickly being swallowed by the crowd, so Mercutio released his sword and let Benvolio pull him away while he stared ahead blankly. His mind was far away, thoughts focused on a certain cat. They would meet soon again, very soon, and he would have to think about what he would say then. 

\---

"What the hell was up with you today?"

Mercutio didn't bother turning to look as Tybalt stormed through the door. He was reclining on the bed, lazily picking at his fingernails with his knife. "I think you need to be more specific, dear."

Tybalt stopped next to the bed, glaring down at Mercutio. They were in his father's old house, but Mercutio acted like the building and everything belonged to him; it wasn't anything unusual, of course, as Mercutio tended to act like he owned everything around him. It had been their place of meeting for years now, but Tybalt had rarely entered it that angry. "You know damn well what I'm talking about. The way you talked today, and how you were all over that damned Montague the whole time. 'Benvolio', 'Benvolio', every time you opened your mouth. You know how I despise those people!"

"The way I talked." Mercutio's voice was deceptively soft, and he was staring down at his now unmoving hands. " _The way I talked_? And now you're jealous of my best friend? Enough to- you called me a whore. A whore, Tybalt." 

"And you just as well said I raped someone!" Tybalt bent down and grabbed Mercutio's shoulders, intending to shake him until his rage had dissipated. Instead he found Mercutio's knife pressed against his throat, and moments passed as the two glared at each other. Finally Mercutio gave Tybalt's chest a push, and Tybalt quickly took a few steps back. 

Mercutio sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, staring at Tybalt without showing a hint of emotion in his face. "There is absolutely nothing between me and Benvolio, and I have not lain with another person while we've been together."

"I know that." Tybalt sighed, clenching and unclenching his fists. He wanted to crush something, to get the anger back, but it had disappeared, and he did not like what he felt instead. "I should not have talked about you like that. I'm sorry. I was frustrated and... the words came without thinking. But you, you pushed me without hesitation, from the moment we came face to face. If the Prince's men hadn't been called there would have been a fight, and neither of us truly wants that. What were you thinking?"

"I'm tired." It took a long time for Mercutio's next words to form, and Tybalt had to bite his tongue not to demand further explanation. "This game, this charade we play, where we pretend to hate each other and want nothing but to tear each other's throat out. I'm sick and tired of it, Tybalt. I love you." Tybalt was relieved to finally see some emotion in Mercutio's face, even if it was a frown. "It's not my way to pretend like this, not to this amount, but you've asked me to. And since I love you, I've done as you wanted and kept everything between us a secret. But I'm tired. I don't want to lie anymore, don't want us to exchange insults that hurt us both every time we meet. I love you, and I'm tired of having to hide it. I made a decision today."

Tybalt was thrown by what seemed like a sudden change of subject, as well as how determined Mercutio looked. "What sort of decision?"

"I'm through lying. I've done it for years, but now it's over. I won't do it anymore, not even for you." Mercutio held up a hand to stop Tybalt's protests. "That's the reason I came here today, to tell you. I'm going to give you a choice now, one that will determine our future, and you will have to decide. You can keep on acting like there's nothing between us, and I will do the same. If you do this, however, then what we have will end, and you will never again see me as a friendly face." Mercutio stood up and took a moment to simply watch Tybalt. "Or you can stop pretending."

Tybalt frowned and opened his mouth, then closed it again just as quickly. He couldn't look away from Mercutio's eyes, and it felt like they saw through to his most inner self. "I love you, but... I can't just- I can't just _tell_ people."

Mercutio face fell, and Tybalt felt it like a stab in the chest. "Yes, you can. It really is that simple, Tybalt."

"But my family? If they find out..."

"You're not just your family. You are your own person, and you have feelings and a life that's independent of your damned family. At least, it should be. But you're so scared of doing something that might go against _your family's_ "—Mercutio sneered at the words—"will that you'll sooner die miserable, protecting the idea of 'honor'—and believe me, you will be miserable, and you will be alone—rather than spend your life with someone you love and who loves you." Mercutio quieted and shook his head. He sheathed his knife, looking anywhere but at Tybalt. "But like I said, this is your decision, not mine. When I next see you I suppose I'll find out what you have chosen."

With those final words Mercutio turned and walked out of the house, leaving Tybalt staring silently after him. His thoughts were racing through his mind, just like his emotions, and he couldn't pick out a single one. It was tempting to fall to his knees and scream until the world made sense again, but a Capulet couldn't do that. Not Tybalt. Instead he sat down on the bed where Mercutio had been, and put his head in his hands and thought.

 

\---

For three days Mercutio had been a shallow version of his usual self; he had to be forced to go out and roam the city with Benvolio and Romeo, he barely cracked any jokes, and his smiles were all humorless. He knew Benvolio and Romeo were worried, even if they tried to keep it from him, but he couldn't find it in him to care. He could only think about Tybalt, and what a fool he'd been to let himself fall in love with a man like that.

At first Mercutio had been hopeful, thinking back on the despair in Tybalt's face as he laid out the choices. If he'd felt so much, then his feelings for Mercutio must have been strong. Mercutio had held onto the hope that they'd been strong enough for Tybalt to make the choice Mercutio wished for, but then a day had passed, and then another, and a third. There had been no sight of Tybalt anywhere he'd looked, and Mercutio had sworn to himself he wouldn't go to the Capulets and demand Tybalt's answer. He'd have to come by his own volition. 

On the fourth day, Romeo had come up with the idea that they would all go to the riverside and throw rocks into the water, like they used to do when they were children, and Mercutio hadn't had enough energy to refuse. He kept his mouth closed as they walked, letting Benvolio and Romeo chatter as they pleased, while he thought about Tybalt. If only he could find out what Tybalt had chosen, then he'd be able to put it behind him and move on, but as it were, he felt like he couldn't breathe, waiting for an answer he wasn't sure would come any longer. 

Deep into his thoughts, he didn't notice the character who stepped out in front of them, not until Benvolio grabbed his arm. 

"And what do you want, Capulet?" Benvolio demanded, rather than asked.

Tybalt looked awkward, his hands restless at his sides, and his eyes darting up at Mercutio and then away quickly. "I need to speak to Mercutio."

Romeo stepped a step in front of Mercutio, glaring at Tybalt with crossed arms. "If you are the reason Mercutio has been acting so strange, then no, I don't think you need to speak to him. I don't think you should come near him at all."

"Back off, Montague," Tybalt growled with clenched fists. He quickly schooled his face back into the nervous neutrality he'd worn before. "I don't mean him any harm."

"Like that's something we'd believe from you. You who have proved your hate for him every time you meet." Benvolio glared hard at Tybalt, who swallowed hard. Mercutio felt like someone was slowly crushing his throat, and he couldn't have said a word if he'd tried. He only watched Tybalt and waited for what he'd say.

"That's just it. I don't hate him." Tybalt locked eyes with Mercutio, refusing to look away. "I love him, more than I love anyone else."

"Wait... what?" Benvolio stared at Tybalt while Romeo just gaped wordlessly. 

Tybalt tried smiling, but his nerves must have been more than he could handle because it looked more like a grimace than anything else. It still made Mercutio dizzy with joy. "That's my answer. I'm sorry I took such time, and I'm sorry for all the time before. I love you, and I don't want to pretend I feel anything else."

Mercutio felt his cheeks burn, and realized he was smiling like a fool; at the same time he realized that he didn't care the slightest about how he looked. He shook off Benvolio's hand, pushed past Romeo, and took Tybalt's face in his hands. "You took too long, you lazy cat." While the words may have been admonishing the effect were cancelled by the wide smile Mercutio still wore. "And I love you too." When Tybalt leaned forward, Mercutio closed his eyes and welcomed the kiss.


End file.
